Accommodation in Mongolia

The standards of accommodation vary widely between Ulaanbaatar and the countryside. There are now a large number of hotels, guest house and dormitories within the capital.

Hotel

Most places cost at least US$40 per single room. Most hotels (zochid buudal) have three types of rooms: a ‘deluxe’ (buten lyuks) room, which includes a separate sitting room, with TV, and a private bath-room, a half-deluxe (khagas lyuks), which is much the same only a little smaller but often much cheaper, and a ‘simple’ (engiin) room, usually with a shared bathroom. Sometimes, dormitory-style (niitiin bair) beds are also available. Usually empty and falling apart, though aimag capitals such as Tsetserleg, Arvaikheer and Uliastai have new private hotels which are quite good.

Apartment

If you are staying in Ulaanbaatar for a week or more, it is cheaper and more convenient to rent an apartment. The hard part is finding one and arranging a short-term lease. Several of the guesthouses can arrange an apartment for between US$10 and US$20 per day. You must pay for the electricity and telephone. If you are traveling in a small group, it’s worth looking around for an apartment to rent. Most owners or landlords obviously prefer long-term rentals, particularly to resident experts, but if business is slow you may be able to arrange something with a short-term lease. A reasonable, furnished, two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen costs from US$200 to US$300 per month. Finding an apartment is usually a matter of asking around or checking over the classified sections of the local English-language papers.

Houses

The most houses which are wide range situated in Ulaanbaatar like most things about Mongolia. Like most things in Mongolia there is a wide range of different types of houses. They are vastly different from what you will find anywhere outside of the capital city – Ulaanbaatar. House rentals are available in Mongolia for travelers who want more complete accommodations. There are some housing rental companies who rent to foreigners for daily rates.

Ger Camps

While hotels cater for tourists staying in Ulaanbaatar, ger camps in the countryside provide travelers a perfect balance between comfort and authenticity. Staying in traditional nomadic dwelling Ger is itself a memorable experience for a traveler. Ger camps are mostly located near main travel destination. These camps provide accommodation in the round felt houses used by nomads and usually have separate toilet, washing and restaurant facilities. Tourists can camp virtually where they like although they are advised to stay away from settlement. Laws also prohibit camping within certain zones of protected areas. While traveling out in the terrain or mountain, travelers must rely on their tents.

Guesthouses

Guesthouse in UlaanbaatarUlaanbaatar now has several guest houses firmly aimed at foreign backpackers. Most are in apartment blocks and have dorm rooms for US$5 to US$10 a bed, cheap meals, laundry service, Internet connection and travel services. They are great places to meet other travelers to share transportation costs but can get pretty crowded during Naadam. Outside Ulaanbaatar only Dalanzadgad in the Gobi and Khuvsgul Lake have accommodation aimed at backpackers.